On October 20, a press conference in the series on Hunan's achievements during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, with a special session by Hengyang City was held in Changsha. The meeting revealed that since the beginning of the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Hengyang's regional gross domestic product (GDP) has grown from 350.85 billion CNY in 2020 to 449.17 billion CNY in 2024, with an average annual growth rate of 6%, ranking second in the province and demonstrating strong development momentum.

Over the past five years, Hengyang has pursued the goal of building the "Three Hubs and Four New Missions" Strategy, vigorously implemented the development strategy of "Building the City through Manufacturing and Revitalizing the City through Cultural Tourism," and accelerated the construction of a modern industrial system with Hengyang characteristics. The Hengyang-Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Ultra-High Voltage Power Transmission and Transformation Equipment Industrial Cluster has been recognized as a national advanced manufacturing cluster. The Salt Brine Chemical Industrial Cluster and the Copper-Lead-Zinc Materials Industrial Cluster have been approved as national-level characteristic industrial clusters for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A total of eight provincial-level advanced manufacturing and SME characteristic industrial clusters have been cultivated, including intelligent audio-visual products and deep processing of steel pipes. Hengyang has been listed among the top 100 cities in national advanced manufacturing, top 100 digital cities in China, and top 100 cities in "urban sci-tech innovation competitiveness" for four consecutive years, becoming a main force in Hunan's efforts to build a nationally important advanced manufacturing hub.

While consolidating the advantages of its traditional industries, Hengyang has actively expanded into new arenas, constructing a modern industrial framework of "stabilizing five, advancing three, and laying out two industries." Three emerging industries—intelligent weighing and metrology instrument, resource recycling and utilization, and digital economy—have developed rapidly. The intelligent weighing and metrology industry has been designated as the 13th key industrial chain of Hunan Province, and the "Hengzhou Avenue Digital Economy Corridor" has attracted 4,862 enterprises, becoming an important digital economy cluster within the province. Looking ahead, Hengyang is strategically laying out two future industries: humanoid robots and commercial human spaceflight. Range Technology has built a 140,000-square-meter humanoid robot industrial park in Hengyang. The core components for humanoid robots from the Meihu Co., Ltd., a listed company of Hengyang City, have already been supplied to Tencent and Ant Robotics. In the commercial human spaceflight industry, efforts are underway to promote the strategic presence of Beijing Interstellor Human Spaceflight Technology Company in Hengyang.

As high-quality economic development progresses, the income gap between urban and rural residents in Hengyang has continued to narrow. The ratio of disposable income between urban and rural residents improved from 1.81 at the end of the "13th Five-Year Plan" period to 1.61 in the first half of 2024, firmly topping the province. By successfully hosting the 3rd Hunan Tourism Development Conference and developing new business forms such as "performing arts + cultural tourism," the city slogan of "No weekend plans? Take a trip to Hengyang" has gained increasing recognition, making the cultural tourism industry a vital force in revitalizing the city and benefiting its people.

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn